Display control apparatus, control method for display control apparatus, and non-transitory computer-readable medium

ABSTRACT

A display control apparatus includes: a determination unit configured to determine whether each of a plurality of images is an image having a high dynamic range (HDR) or an image having a standard dynamic range (SDR); and a control unit configured to display a list of the plurality of images in a display unit and display an image selected from the list of the plurality of images in the display unit, wherein the control unit is further configured: to display a selected image in the plurality of images using the HDR, in a case where the image having the HDR is selected, and to display the plurality of images in the list uniformly using the HDR or the SDR, in a case where the plurality of images in the list includes both the image having the HDR and the image having the SDR.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display control apparatus, a controlmethod for the display control apparatus, and a non-transitorycomputer-readable medium.

Description of the Related Art

The number of imaging apparatuses capable of shooting using a dynamicrange (HDR: High Dynamic Range) wider than a conventional dynamic range(SDR: Standard Dynamic Range), and the number of display apparatusescapable of display using the HDR are increasing.

In general, in the case where HDR content or SDR content is displayed ina display apparatus capable of HDR display (display that uses the HDR),the HDR content is displayed using the HDR, and the SDR content isdisplayed using the SDR. That is, the content is displayed using thedynamic range corresponding to the content.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2014-204175 proposes atechnique for determining whether or not each image file is compatiblewith the HDR when a list of SDR images is displayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, the technique proposed in Japanese Patent ApplicationPublication No. 2014-204175 is based on the case where the SDR images(SDR content) are arranged and displayed in list form in a displayapparatus capable of only SDR display, and does not consider the casewhere an SDR image and an HDR image are arranged and displayed in listform. In display of a list of images in the display apparatus capable ofthe HDR display, in the case where the SDR image and the HDR image aremixed and arranged, images having significantly different dynamic rangesare arranged, and there are cases where viewability is reduced.

To cope with this, an object of the present invention is to provide atechnique that allows display of a list of a plurality of images havingdifferent dynamic ranges with high viewability.

The present invention in its first aspect provides a display controlapparatus includes:

a determination unit configured to determine whether each of a pluralityof images is an image having a high dynamic range (HDR) or an imagehaving a standard dynamic range (SDR); and

a control unit configured to display a list of the plurality of imagesin a display unit and display an image selected from the list of theplurality of images in the display unit,

wherein the control unit is further configured:

-   -   to display a selected image in the plurality of images using the        HDR, in a case where the image having the HDR is selected, and    -   to display the plurality of images in the list uniformly using        the HDR or the SDR, in a case where the plurality of images in        the list includes both the image having the HDR and the image        having the SDR.

The present invention in its second aspect provides a control method fora display control apparatus, the control method includes:

determining whether each of a plurality of images is an image having ahigh dynamic range (HDR) or an image having a standard dynamic range(SDR);

displaying a list of the plurality of images in a display unit;

displaying an image selected from the list of the plurality of images inthe display unit;

displaying the image using the HDR, in a case where the image having theHDR is selected; and

displaying the plurality of images in the list uniformly using the HDRor the SDR, in a case where the plurality of images in the list includesboth the image having the HDR and the image having the SDR.

The present invention in its third aspect provides a non-transitorycomputer readable medium that stores a program, wherein the programcauses a computer to execute the above method.

According to the present invention, it is possible to display a list ofa plurality of images having different dynamic ranges with highviewability.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from thefollowing description of exemplary embodiments with reference to theattached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a hardware block diagram showing an example of the schematicconfiguration of a display control apparatus according to the presentembodiment;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are views showing an example of image display accordingto a first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of an image display processaccording to the first embodiment;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are flowcharts showing examples of an image displayprocess according to the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an example of image display according to asecond embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of an image display processaccording to the second embodiment; and

FIG. 7 is a view showing an example of image display according to athird embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment <Overall Configuration>

Hereinbelow, embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail based on the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a hardware blockdiagram showing an example of the schematic configuration of a displaycontrol apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment. The displaycontrol apparatus 100 is a personal computer or the like. The displaycontrol apparatus 100 has a CPU 101, a memory 102, a storage unit 103,and an operation unit 104, and is connected to a display apparatus 200.The display apparatus 200 is a CRT or an LCD, and displays variousscreens and images such as, e.g., a graphical user interface (GUI)screen for assisting user operations (operations from a user) on adisplay surface. The display control apparatus 100 controls the displayof the display apparatus 200. Note that the display control apparatus100 and the display apparatus 200 may be integrated with each other.

The CPU 101 performs various processes and control operations of thedisplay control apparatus 100. For example, the CPU 101 loads apredetermined program recorded in the storage unit 103 into the memory102 and executes the program, and outputs commands (control signals) forcontrolling operations of the individual units of the display controlapparatus 100 to the individual units. The individual units of thedisplay control apparatus 100 perform predetermined operationscorresponding to the commands from the CPU 101.

The memory 102 stores various data and information. For example, a RAMis used as the memory 102, and the memory 102 is used as a work memoryof the CPU 101.

The storage unit 103 stores various data and information. For example, ahard disk or a ROM is used as the storage unit 103, and the storage unit103 stores image data, image editing information for image editing, andthe like. Note that the storage unit 103 may or may not be detachablefrom the display control apparatus 100.

The operation unit 104 receives user operations performed on the displaycontrol apparatus 100. For example, as the operation unit 104, akeyboard or a pointing device is used. Examples of the pointing deviceinclude a mouse, a trackball, and a touch panel. Note that the operationunit 104 may or may not be detachable from the display control apparatus100.

<Outline>

To the display control apparatus 100 according to the presentembodiment, the display apparatus 200 capable of display by using a highdynamic range (HDR) that is a dynamic range wider than a usual dynamicrange is connected. The display control apparatus 100 according to thepresent embodiment operates based on a setting that displays an HDRimage using the HDR (HDR display mode). Note that, in the case where thedisplay apparatus 200 without support for HDR display (display that usesthe HDR) or the case where the display control apparatus 100 is not inthe HDR display mode, the HDR image is displayed using a standarddynamic range (SDR) that is a conventional dynamic range.

In the present embodiment, a plurality of image files are retained in apredetermined folder. When predetermined software (application) isactivated, the image files retained in the predetermined folder areread, and a list of thumbnails of images is displayed. Herein, thethumbnail denotes a reduced image used when a list of images isdisplayed. In addition, in the present embodiment, an SDR image file andan HDR image file are mixed and retained in the predetermined folder.

In general, in the case where the thumbnail is displayed in the displayapparatus 200 with support for the HDR display, the thumbnail isdisplayed using the dynamic range corresponding to the image to bedisplayed. That is, the thumbnail of an SDR image is displayed using theSDR, and the thumbnail of the HDR image is displayed using the HDR.Accordingly, as in the present embodiment, in the case where the imagefiles having different dynamic ranges are mixed, in display of a list ofimages, the thumbnail of the HDR image that can reproduce highbrightness and the thumbnail of the SDR image having a conventionalbrightness range are mixed, which results in a decrease in viewability.

To cope with this, in the present embodiment, in order to lessen thereduction in viewability, the thumbnail of the HDR image is displayedusing the SDR in the list display in the case where the thumbnail of theHDR image and the thumbnail of the SDR image are mixed. The SDRthumbnail to be displayed may be obtained by performing conversion fromthe HDR image, or the SDR thumbnail that is created in advance may alsobe read and displayed instead of using the thumbnail obtained by theconversion. Note that the thumbnail of the SDR image is displayed usingthe SDR. Thus, by displaying all of the thumbnails using the SDR, thedynamic ranges of the images in the list display are unified into theconventional SDR, and hence viewability of the entire list display imageis improved. On the other hand, in the case where an image other thanthe images in the list display is displayed (in the case where an imagecorresponding to the thumbnail selected from the list is displayed forappreciation), the HDR image is displayed using the HDR and the SDRimage is displayed using the SDR because appreciation is the purpose ofthe display. Note that it is only required that the thumbnails aredisplayed using the same dynamic range in order to improve theviewability of the list display, and all of the thumbnails may bedisplayed using, e.g., the HDR instead of the SDR.

<Display Screen>

Each of FIGS. 2A and 2B shows a display screen in the presentembodiment. FIG. 2A is a screen (window) on which a list of images(thumbnails) is displayed, and is a screen for selecting an image to beappreciated. FIG. 2B is a screen having one image that is displayed onthe full screen, and is a screen for appreciating the displayed image.When one thumbnail is selected from the screen in FIG. 2A by a user, thescreen in FIG. 2B is displayed such that the image corresponding to theselected thumbnail is displayed on the entire screen. In the presentembodiment, a description will be given of an example in which thescreen is switched from the screen in FIG. 2A to the screen in FIG. 2Band the screen in FIG. 2B is displayed in response to the selection ofthe thumbnail, but the screen in FIG. 2B may also be displayed asanother screen (another window) different from the screen shown in FIG.2A side by side with the screen shown in FIG. 2A.

In FIG. 2A, a thumbnail display area 201 is an area (display area) fordisplaying a list of the thumbnails of the image files in thepredetermined folder. A thumbnail 202 is a thumbnail that corresponds tothe HDR image and is displayed using the SDR. A thumbnail 203 is athumbnail that corresponds to the SDR image and is displayed using theSDR. In an example in FIG. 2A, the thumbnail 202 and the thumbnail 203are mixed and displayed. In the present embodiment, the dynamic range ofeach thumbnail is not the dynamic range corresponding to the image butthe SDR. A method for acquiring the SDR thumbnail from the HDR imagewill be described later. An icon 204 is an icon (HDR icon) thatindicates that the image corresponding to the thumbnail having the icon204 is the HDR image. When all of the thumbnails are displayed using theSDR, the thumbnail of the HDR image and the thumbnail of the SDR imagecannot be distinguished from each other. Consequently, by displaying theicon 204, the user is notified that the image corresponding to thethumbnail having the icon 204 is the HDR image. A button 205 is a buttonfor closing the screen of the list display (disabling the list display).The button 205 can also be viewed as a button for ending software of thepresent embodiment.

In FIG. 2B, an image display area 210 is an area for displaying an imagefor image appreciation on which a full-screen display of the image(single image display) is performed. In the present embodiment, in thecase where the image is displayed in the image display area 210, theimage is displayed using the dynamic range corresponding to the image.That is, the HDR image is displayed using the HDR, and the SDR image isdisplayed using the SDR. In an example in FIG. 2B, the imagecorresponding to the thumbnail 202 is displayed using the HDR. A button211 is a button for closing a screen of a full-screen display of theimage (disabling the full-screen display of the image). In the presentembodiment, when the button 211 is pressed down, the screen of thefull-screen display shown in FIG. 2B is closed, and a list displayscreen shown in FIG. 2A is displayed.

<Process Detail>

Each of FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4A and 4B shows a flowchart of an image displayprocess performed in the display control apparatus 100 in the presentembodiment. The CPU 101 loads a program stored in a non-volatile memory(not shown) into the memory 102 and executes the program, and thepresent process is thereby implemented.

In the present embodiment, all of the thumbnails displayed in thethumbnail display area 201 are displayed using the SDR. That is, thethumbnail of the HDR image is displayed using the SDR, and the thumbnailof the SDR image is displayed using the SDR. In addition, on the imagedisplay area 210, the HDR image is displayed using the HDR, and the SDRimage is displayed using the SDR.

The user operates the operation unit 104 to activate the abovepredetermined software, and the image display process shown in FIG. 3 isthereby started.

In Step S301, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the display settingof the display control apparatus 100 is in a mode that allows the HDRdisplay (an HDR display mode, a setting in which the HDR image isdisplayed using the HDR). The flow proceeds to Step S302 in the casewhere the display setting is in the mode that allows the HDR display,and the present process is ended in the case where the display settingis not in the mode that allows the HDR display. Note that, in the casewhere the display setting is not in the mode that allows the HDRdisplay, every image is displayed using the conventional SDR, and hencethe description thereof will be omitted. Note that the user may operatethe operation unit 104 to activate the above predetermined software, andthe above-mentioned image display process may be thereby started in astate in which the screen display setting of the display controlapparatus 100 is set to the HDR display mode. In this case, theabove-described process in Step S301 is not performed.

In the present embodiment, the above-described determination isperformed by acquiring information indicative of whether or not thedisplay setting of the display control apparatus 100 is in the mode thatallows the HDR display from an OS or the like that operates on thedisplay control apparatus 100. Note that, in the case where an image isrendered by a method in which the image is rendered directly in a videocard without support by the OS, the above-described determination may beperformed by acquiring information indicative of whether or not amonitor connected to the video card is the display apparatus 200 thatcan reproduce the HDR.

In Step S302, the CPU 101 acquires a plurality of image files retainedin a predetermined folder in the storage unit 103.

In Step S303, the CPU 101 creates and displays the screen (FIG. 2A) thatdisplays a list of thumbnails. The individual thumbnails 202 and 203 aresequentially displayed by a process described later.

In Step S304, the CPU 101 acquires the thumbnails from the plurality ofimage files, and displays the thumbnails on the thumbnail display area201. Herein, in an image display process in Step S304 according to thepresent embodiment, The CPU 101 displays the thumbnail of the SDR imageusing the SDR, and displays the thumbnail of the HDR image using the SDRinstead of the HDR. The details of the present process will be describedlater.

In Step S305, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the thumbnail hasbeen selected from the list of the thumbnails by the operation performedon the operation unit 104 by the user. The flow proceeds to Step S307 inthe case where the thumbnail has been selected, and the flow proceeds toStep S306 in the case where the thumbnail has not been selected.

In Step S306, the CPU 101 determines whether or not a command for endingthe display of a list of the thumbnails has been issued. For example, inthe case where the button 205 is pressed, the CPU 101 determines thatthe command for ending the display of a list of the thumbnails has beenissued. The list display screen is closed and the present process isended in the case where the command for ending the display of a list ofthe thumbnails has been issued, and the flow proceeds to Step S305 inthe case where the command for ending the display of a list of thethumbnails has not been issued.

In Step S307, the CPU 101 acquires the image corresponding to thethumbnail selected by the user operation in Step S305.

In Step S308, the CPU 101 creates the area for displaying one image. Inthe present embodiment, the screen is switched from the list displayscreen (FIG. 2A) to the screen (FIG. 2B) including one image that isdisplayed on the full screen.

In Step S309, the CPU 101 displays the image acquired in Step S307 usingthe corresponding dynamic range. That is, the CPU 101 displays the imageusing the HDR in the case where the image acquired in Step S307 is theHDR image, and displays the image using the SDR in the case where theimage acquired in Step S307 is the SDR image. With this, it becomespossible for the user to appreciate the selected image using thecorresponding dynamic range. For example, in the case where thethumbnail 202 shown in FIG. 2A is selected in Step S305, the imagecorresponding to the thumbnail 202 is displayed using the HDR on theimage display area 210 (the area for appreciating the image). Thedetails of the present process will be described later.

In Step S310, the CPU 101 determines whether or not a command for endingthe image display has been issued. For example, in the case where thebutton 211 is pressed, the CPU 101 determines that the command forending the image display has been issued. The screen having one imagethat is displayed on the full screen is closed and the flow proceeds toStep S302 in the case where the command for ending the image display hasbeen issued, and the process in Step S310 is repeated in the case wherethe command for ending the image display has not been issued.

By performing the processes from Step S302 to Step S310 described above,the CPU 101 unifies the dynamic ranges of the thumbnails into the SDR onthe list display screen, and displays the image using the dynamic rangecorresponding to the image on the screen on which the single imagedisplay is performed.

FIG. 4A is a flowchart showing an example of the image display processperformed on the thumbnail display area 201 in Step S304 in FIG. 3.

In Step S401, the CPU 101 selects the image file from the plurality ofimage files acquired in Step S302.

In Step S402, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the image fileselected in Step S401 is the image file corresponding to the HDR image.The flow proceeds to Step S403 in the case where the selected image fileis the image file corresponding to the HDR image, and otherwise, theflow proceeds to Step S406. In the present embodiment, the case wherethe selected image file is the image file that does not correspond tothe HDR image is the case where the selected image file is the imagefile corresponding to the SDR image.

In Step S403, the CPU 101 acquires the SDR thumbnail from the imagefile. In a process for acquiring the SDR thumbnail from the image file,the SDR thumbnail that is retained in the image file in advance may beacquired, and the SDR thumbnail may also be acquired (created) byperforming conversion from the HDR image corresponding to the imagefile.

Herein, the type of the image file is not particularly limited, and itis possible to use, e.g., a raw image format (RAW) file, or a highefficiency image file format (HEIF) file. The RAW file is an image filethat includes a RAW thumbnail image and a RAW image. The HEIF file is animage file that includes the HDR thumbnail and the HDR image.

In the case of the RAW file, the SDR thumbnail may be acquired byperforming various SDR conversions on the HDR image obtained bydeveloping the RAW image (HDR development). In addition, the SDRthumbnail may also be acquired by performing convention on an HDRthumbnail image obtained by performing the HDR development on the RAWthumbnail image. Further, an SDR thumbnail image obtained by developingthe RAW thumbnail image (SDR development) may be acquired and used asthe above SDR thumbnail. Note that the SDR thumbnail acquired by theabove method may be stored in the RAW file, and the stored SDR thumbnailmay be used when the thumbnail is displayed next.

In addition, in the case where the image file is the HEIF file, the SDRthumbnail may be acquired by performing various SDR conversions on theHDR thumbnail or the HDR image. Note that a conversion method fordisplaying the HDR image using the SDR is not particularly limited, andexamples of the conversion method include a method (linear conversionmethod) in which each brightness is reduced by using the samecoefficient, and a method in which the brightness is reduced by using acoefficient (weight) that differs from one brightness (brightness range)to another.

In Step S404, the CPU 101 displays the SDR thumbnail acquired in StepS403. In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the thumbnail 202 and the likeare displayed in the thumbnail display area 201.

In Step S405, the CPU 101 displays the icon 204 for notifying the userthat the image corresponding to the thumbnail displayed in Step S404 isthe HDR image. In the present embodiment, the icon 204 with “HDR” isdisplayed on the thumbnail 202 on the thumbnail display area 201 to besuperimposed on the upper part of the image. Note that the position,size, and shape of the icon, and presence or absence of letters are notparticularly limited. In addition, the HDR image may be distinguishedfrom the SDR image by another method other than the above method. Forexample, the frame of the thumbnail of the HDR image may be enhanced anddisplayed, and the thumbnail of the HDR image may be therebydistinguished from the thumbnail of the SDR image.

In Step S406, the CPU 101 acquires the SDR thumbnail from the image file(SDR image). As a method for acquiring the thumbnail from the SDR image,it is possible to use a common process.

In Step S407, the CPU 101 displays the thumbnail acquired in Step S406.In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the thumbnail 203 and the like aredisplayed in the thumbnail display area 201.

In Step S408, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the processes fromStep S401 to Step S407 have been performed on all of the image files.The present process is ended in the case where the processes have beenperformed on all of the image files, and otherwise, the flow proceeds toStep S401. By repeating Steps S401 to S408, the thumbnail display of allof the image files is performed. The thumbnail of the HDR image isdisplayed using the SDR, and the thumbnail of the SDR image is displayedusing the SDR by the above-described processes. As a result, the dynamicranges of the thumbnails displayed in the thumbnail display area areunified into the SDR.

FIG. 4B is a flowchart showing an example of the image display processperformed on the image display area in Step S309 in FIG. 3.

In Step S411, the CPU 101 determines whether or not the image acquiredin Step S307 is the HDR image. The flow proceeds to Step S412 in thecase where the image is the HDR image, and the flow proceeds to StepS413 in the case where the image is not the HDR image.

In Step S412, the CPU 101 displays the image acquired in Step S307 onthe image display area 210 using the HDR. In the example in FIG. 2B, theimage corresponding to the thumbnail 202 is displayed in the imagedisplay area 210 using the HDR.

In Step S413, the CPU 101 displays the image acquired in Step S307 onthe image display area 210 using the SDR.

As described thus far, in the case where the image display process shownin FIG. 4A is called in Step S304, this is the case of the image displayprocess performed on the thumbnail display area 201, and hence thethumbnail of the HDR image is displayed using the SDR, and the thumbnailof the SDR image is displayed using the SDR. In addition, in the casewhere the image display process shown in FIG. 4B is called in Step S309,this is the case of the image display process performed on the imagedisplay area 210 for image appreciation, and hence the HDR image isdisplayed using the HDR, and the SDR image is displayed using the SDR.

Note that the image display processes shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B maybe performed by using one process. In this case, in Step S304 and StepS309, the same image display process is called. Subsequently, the CPU101 determines a caller of the image display process first. A method fordetermining the caller is not particularly limited, and thedetermination may be performed by determining whether or not the displayarea subjected to the image display process is the thumbnail displayarea 201. Herein, the case where the display area is the thumbnaildisplay area 201 denotes the case where the image display process inStep S304 in FIG. 3 is performed. In addition, the case where thedisplay area is not the thumbnail display area 201 denotes the casewhere the display area is the image display area 210 and the imagedisplay process in Step S309 in FIG. 3 is performed.

<Advantageous Effect of Present Embodiment>

With the processes described above, in the case where the software inthe present embodiment performs the display of the list of thethumbnails in the display apparatus 200 capable of the HDR display, itis possible to secure viewability by displaying all of the thumbnailsusing the SDR. In addition, in the case where the image is displayed forappreciation, it is possible to display the image using the originaldynamic range of the image by displaying the image using the dynamicrange corresponding to the image (displaying the HDR image using theHDR, and displaying the SDR image using the SDR).

Second Embodiment <Outline>

In the first embodiment described above, the description has been givenof the example in which the thumbnail list display screen and the imagedisplay screen are different screens. In the present embodiment, adescription will be given of an example in which a list of thumbnailsand an image are displayed on one screen (window). The configurations ofthe display control apparatus 100 and the display apparatus 200 in thepresent embodiment are the same as those in the first embodimentdescribed above, and hence the description thereof will be omitted.

<Display Screen>

FIG. 5 shows an image display screen according to the presentembodiment. An image display area 510 is an area for displaying oneimage, and is a display area for image appreciation corresponding to theimage display area 210 in FIG. 2B. The image display area 510 is thedisplay area for performing the appreciation of the image, and hence theimage is displayed using the dynamic range corresponding to the image.That is, the HDR image is displayed using the HDR, and the SDR image isdisplayed using the SDR.

A thumbnail display area 501 is an area for displaying a list of thethumbnails of the images in the above-described predetermined folder,and corresponds to the thumbnail display area 201 in FIG. 2A. In anexample in FIG. 5, a thumbnail 502 that corresponds to the HDR image andis displayed using the SDR, and a thumbnail 503 that corresponds to theSDR image and is displayed using the SDR are mixed and both of thethumbnails are displayed.

The thumbnail 502 in FIG. 5 is the thumbnail of the HDR image that isdisplayed using the SDR, and corresponds to the thumbnail 202 in FIG.2A.

The thumbnail 503 in FIG. 5 is the thumbnail of the SDR image that isdisplayed using the SDR, and corresponds to the thumbnail 203 in FIG.2A. This is common thumbnail display.

An icon 504 in FIG. 5 is an icon that indicates that the image is theHDR image, and corresponds to the icon 204 in FIG. 2A. The HDR image isdisplayed using the SDR and cannot be distinguished from the SDR imagefrom the image, and hence the icon 504 notifies the user that the imagecorresponding to the thumbnail 502 is the HDR image.

<Process Detail>

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an image display process performed in thedisplay control apparatus 100 in the present embodiment. The CPU 101loads a program stored in a non-volatile memory (not shown) into thememory 102 and executes the program, and the present process is therebyimplemented.

Processes in Steps S601 to S603 are the same as those in Steps S301 toS303 shown in FIG. 3, and hence the description thereof will be omitted.

In Step S604, the CPU 101 creates an area for displaying one image. Inthe present embodiment, the thumbnail display area 501 and the imagedisplay area 510 are provided on the same screen. When the thumbnail onthe thumbnail display area 501 is selected by the user, the image of theimage display area 510 is switched.

Processes in Steps S605 to S608 are the same as those in Steps S304,S305, S307, and S309 shown in FIG. 3, and hence the description thereofwill be omitted.

In Step S609, the CPU 101 determines whether or not a command for endingthe image display has been issued. The display screen is closed (theimage display is disabled) and the present process is ended in the casewhere the command for ending the image display has been issued, andotherwise, the flow proceeds to Step S606.

In the present embodiment, by providing the thumbnail display area andthe image display area on one screen, it is possible to change the imagesubjected to the image display (full-screen display) without closing theimage display screen every time the image is changed, as in the firstembodiment.

Note that, in the example of the screen display shown in FIG. 5, theimage display area 510 for the single image display is disposed in theupper portion of the screen, and the thumbnail display area 501 isdisposed in the lower portion of the screen. However, the arrangement ofthe display areas is not particularly limited. For example, thethumbnail display area 501 may be disposed above, on the left of, or onthe right of the display area for the single image display.

Third Embodiment <Outline>

In the first embodiment described above, the description has been givenof the example in which only the thumbnail is displayed on the thumbnaillist display screen. In the present embodiment, a description will begiven of an example in which the thumbnail of the image and a histogramof each image are displayed on the thumbnail list display screen. Theconfigurations of the display control apparatus 100 and the displayapparatus 200 in the present embodiment are the same as those in thefirst embodiment described above, and hence the description thereof willbe omitted.

<Display Screen>

FIG. 7 is the thumbnail list display screen according to the presentembodiment. A thumbnail display area 701 is an area for displayingthumbnails of images and the histogram of each image. Similarly to FIG.2A, the thumbnail 202 is the thumbnail of the image. A histogram 720 isa histogram corresponding to each image. In the present embodiment, abrightness histogram in which the horizontal axis indicates a value ofbrightness gradation (brightness value), and the vertical axis indicatesthe number of pixels corresponding to the value of brightness gradationis displayed.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the display control apparatus100 controls the range of each histogram such that the range correspondsto the dynamic range of each image. That is, even in the case where thethumbnail of the HDR image is displayed using the SDR, the histogram isdisplayed using the range corresponding to the HDR. Further, thethumbnail is displayed using the SDR in the case of the SDR image, andthe histogram is displayed using the range corresponding to the SDR.

With the foregoing configuration, even in the case where the HDR imageand the SDR image serving as images displayed in list form are mixed, itis possible to check the histogram using the dynamic range correspondingto the image while securing the viewability of the thumbnail listdisplay screen. In addition, for example, by checking the histogram, theuser can determine whether or not the corresponding image has clippedwhites or crushed shadows.

Note that, with regard to the histogram, it is only required that thedistribution of pixel values can be recognized, and the histogram is notlimited to the brightness histogram and may also be a color histogram.In addition, a waveform monitor in which the horizontal axis indicatesan image signal and the vertical axis indicates a value of pixelgradation may be displayed. Further, in the case where the SDR image andthe HDR image are mixed, the standards of the histograms may be unified.That is, the ranges of the horizontal axes of the histograms may beunified and the histograms may be displayed. Specifically, the maximumvalue of the horizontal axis in each histogram (the right end in anexample in FIG. 7) may be used as the maximum brightness of the HDR. Inaddition, in the case where the SDR image and the HDR image are mixed,the maximum value of the dynamic range corresponding to each image maybe used as the maximum value of the horizontal axis of the histogram.Further, in the case where the thumbnail of the HDR image is displayedusing the SDR, the brightness histogram corresponding to the SDR may bedisplayed as the histogram. Note that, in addition to the image and thehistogram, additional information of the image (a shooting date andtime, the type of an imaging apparatus, and settings at the time ofshooting) may be displayed in the thumbnail display area 701 forthumbnail display. Further, as in the second embodiment, in the casewhere the image display area and the thumbnail display area aredisplayed on one screen, the thumbnail and the histogram may bedisplayed in the thumbnail display area.

Modification

In each of the embodiments described above, the description has beengiven of the example in which, in the case where the HDR image and theSDR image are mixed on the thumbnail display area, the dynamic ranges ofthe thumbnails are unified into the SDR and the thumbnails aredisplayed. However, the dynamic ranges of the thumbnails may be unifiedinto the HDR, and the thumbnails may be displayed. Further, it may bedetermined whether the dynamic ranges of the thumbnails are unified intothe SDR or the HDR in accordance with the ratio between the number ofthe SDR images and the number of the HDR images.

In each of the embodiments described above, the size (display size) ofthe thumbnail has not been considered. However, it may be determinedwhether or not the dynamic ranges of the thumbnails are unified inaccordance with the size of the thumbnail displayed on the thumbnaildisplay area. For example, in the case where the size of the thumbnail(or the number of displayed thumbnails) can be changed by the useroperation, only when the size thereof is smaller than a predeterminedsize, the dynamic ranges of the thumbnails displayed in the thumbnaildisplay area may be unified.

In each of the embodiments described above, the description has beengiven of the example in which the SDR image file and the HDR image fileare mixed in the predetermined folder. However, in the case where onlythe HDR image files are stored in the predetermined folder, all of thethumbnails are displayed using the SDR. To cope with this, the dynamicrange of the image corresponding to the acquired image file may beacquired at the beginning of the image display process described above,and the process for unifying the dynamic ranges may be performed in thecase where the images having different dynamic ranges are included.

In each of the embodiments described above, the description has beenmade by using, as the examples, the images having two types of thedynamic ranges that are the HDR image and the SDR image, but the type ofthe dynamic range is not particularly limited. For example, the HDRimages having a plurality of dynamic ranges such as the HDR image havinga maximum brightness of 1000 nits and the HDR image having a maximumbrightness of 400 nits, and the SDR image may be used. Note that, in thecase where the maximum brightness of the HDR image is different from themaximum displayable brightness of the display apparatus, the image isdisplayed in the above-described image display area using the maximumdisplayable brightness of the display apparatus instead of the dynamicrange corresponding to the image.

The processes described above may be performed on software (application)that operates on the display control apparatus, but the processes mayalso be performed as the functions of the display control apparatus.

In each of the embodiments described above, the description has beengiven of the example in which the display apparatus separate from thedisplay control apparatus is used, but the display control apparatus andthe display apparatus may be mounted on the same electronic equipment.

Note that the various control operations described as the controloperations performed by the CPU 101 may be performed by a piece ofhardware, or a plurality of pieces of hardware (e.g., a plurality ofprocessors or circuits) may share processes and thereby control theentire apparatus.

The present invention has been described in detail based on thepreferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the presentinvention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and variousembodiments without departing from the gist of the present invention areincluded in the present invention. Part of the embodiments describedabove may be appropriately combined. In addition, the present inventionincludes the case where a software program for implementing thefunctions of the embodiments described above is supplied directly from arecording medium or via wired/wireless communication to a system orapparatus having a computer capable of executing the program, and thesupplied program is executed. The present invention is thereforeimplemented by program codes that are supplied to and installed in acomputer in order to implement function processing of the presentinvention using the computer. That is, the present invention includes acomputer program for implementing functional processing of the presentinvention. In this case, the present invention can take any program formsuch as an object code, a program executed by an interpreter, or ascript data supplied to an OS as far as a program function is attained.As a recording medium for supplying the program, it is possible to use,e.g., a magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk or a magnetictape, an optical/magneto-optical recording medium, and a non-volatilesemiconductor memory. As a program supply method, it is conceivable touse a method in which a computer program that implements the presentinvention is stored in a server on a computer network, and the computerprogram is downloaded to a connected client computer and programmed.

Other Embodiments

Embodiment(s) of the present invention can also be realized by acomputer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computerexecutable instructions (e.g., one or more programs) recorded on astorage medium (which may also be referred to more fully as a‘non-transitory computer-readable storage medium’) to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) and/orthat includes one or more circuits (e.g., application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC)) for performing the functions of one or moreof the above-described embodiment(s), and by a method performed by thecomputer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out andexecuting the computer executable instructions from the storage mediumto perform the functions of one or more of the above-describedembodiment(s) and/or controlling the one or more circuits to perform thefunctions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). Thecomputer may comprise one or more processors (e.g., central processingunit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU)) and may include a network ofseparate computers or separate processors to read out and execute thecomputer executable instructions. The computer executable instructionsmay be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or thestorage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or moreof a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM),a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as acompact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™),a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference toexemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of thefollowing claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as toencompass all such modifications and equivalent structures andfunctions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No.2018-148289, filed on Aug. 7, 2018, which is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display control apparatus comprising: adetermination unit configured to determine whether each of a pluralityof images is an image having a high dynamic range (HDR) or an imagehaving a standard dynamic range (SDR); and a control unit configured todisplay a list of the plurality of images in a display unit and displayan image selected from the list of the plurality of images in thedisplay unit, wherein the control unit is further configured: to displaya selected image in the plurality of images using the HDR, in a casewhere the image having the HDR is selected, and to display the pluralityof images in the list uniformly using the HDR or the SDR, in a casewhere the plurality of images in the list includes both the image havingthe HDR and the image having the SDR.
 2. The display control apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured todisplay the image having the HDR in the plurality of images using theSDR, in a case where the plurality of images are displayed uniformlyusing the HDR or the SDR.
 3. The display control apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to convert abrightness value of an image having HDR in the plurality of images toobtain an image having the SDR, in a case where the image having the HDRin the plurality of images is displayed using the SDR.
 4. The displaycontrol apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit isfurther configured to display an image having the SDR in the pluralityof images which is stored in an image file corresponding to the imagehaving the HDR, in a case where the image having the HDR in theplurality of images is displayed using the SDR.
 5. The display controlapparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is furtherconfigured to display an icon indicating that the image has the HDR, ina case where the image having the HDR in the plurality of images isdisplayed using the SDR.
 6. The display control apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the list of the plurality of images and the imageselected from the list of the plurality of images are displayed in thesame display area.
 7. The display control apparatus according to claim1, wherein the list of the plurality of images and the image selectedfrom the list of the plurality of images are displayed in differentdisplay areas.
 8. The display control apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the control unit is further configured to display an image inthe list using a corresponding dynamic range, in a case where the listof the plurality of images is displayed and a display size of the imageis larger than a predetermined size.
 9. The display control apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured: todisplay an image using the HDR, in a case where a number of the imageshaving the HDR is larger than a number of the images having the SDR inthe plurality of images, and to display an image using the SDR, in acase where a number of the images having the SDR is larger than a numberof the images having the HDR in the plurality of images.
 10. The displaycontrol apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit isfurther configured to display a histogram of each image, in a case wherethe list of the plurality of images is displayed.
 11. The displaycontrol apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit isfurther configured to control a range of each histogram so that therange corresponds to the dynamic range of each image.
 12. The displaycontrol apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit isfurther configured to display the selected image in the plurality ofimages using the SDR, in a case where the image having the SDR in theplurality of images is selected and displayed.
 13. A display controlapparatus capable of displaying an image using a high dynamic range(HDR) in a display unit with support for the HDR, the display controlapparatus comprising: a control unit configured to display a pluralityof thumbnails of a plurality of images side by side in the display unit,wherein the control unit is further configured to display a firstthumbnail corresponding to first image data having a standard dynamicrange (SDR) and a second thumbnail corresponding to second image datahaving the HDR wherein the second thumbnail is generated by processingthe second image data such that a dynamic range of the second image datais reduced, in a case where the plurality of images includes the firstimage data having the SDR and the second image data having the HDR. 14.A display control apparatus capable of displaying an image using a highdynamic range (HDR) in a display unit with support for the HDR, thedisplay control apparatus comprising: a control unit configured todisplay a plurality of thumbnails of a plurality of images side by sidein the display unit, wherein the control unit is further configured todisplay a first thumbnail corresponding to first image data having astandard dynamic range (SDR) and a second thumbnail corresponding tosecond image data having the HDR wherein the first thumbnail isgenerated by processing the first image data such that a dynamic rangeof the first image data is increased, in a case where the plurality ofimages includes the first image data having the SDR and the second imagedata having the HDR.
 15. A control method for a display controlapparatus, the control method comprising: determining whether each of aplurality of images is an image having a high dynamic range (HDR) or animage having a standard dynamic range (SDR); displaying a list of theplurality of images in a display unit and display an image selected fromthe list of the plurality of images in the display unit; displaying aselected image in the plurality of images using the HDR, in a case wherethe image having the HDR is selected; and displaying the plurality ofimages in the list uniformly using the HDR or the SDR, in a case wherethe plurality of images in the list includes both the image having theHDR and the image having the SDR.
 16. A non-transitory computer readablemedium that stores a program, wherein the program causes a computer toexecute the method according to claim 15.